SDG Youth
Champions

Home Opportunities SDG Youth Champions

The SDG Youth Champions Initiative is a national youth engagement programme coordinated by the Sustainable Development Directorate within the Ministry for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour (MEER), in collaboration with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and the National Youth Council (KNŻ).

The initiative provides five young people with the opportunity to actively contribute to sustainable development policy, advocacy and awareness‑raising at both the national and international level.

The Role of
SDG Youth Champions

SDG Youth Champions are young people who demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability and youth engagement. Each Champion represents one of the five National Strategic Goals outlined in Malta’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2050 for a 15-month term.

The five roles are:

Social Fairness and Prosperity – addressing poverty, inequality and social inclusion
Green and Blue Growth – supporting a climate-neutral economy and environmental protection
Cultural Heritage and Urban Development – safeguarding cultural heritage while promoting sustainable urban spaces
Digitalisation and Smart Innovation – encouraging digital empowerment, innovation and connectivity
Health and Wellbeing – promoting physical and mental wellbeing for a healthy society

What SDG Youth
Champions Do?

SDG Youth Champions play an active role in promoting and mainstreaming sustainable development by:

developing initiatives and projects linked to their Strategic Goal,
engaging youth stakeholders and encouraging collaboration on sustainability-focused activities,
representing youth perspectives in national and international fora,
participating in discussions organised by policy-making bodies,
contributing to public awareness-raising events on the SDGs,
strengthening youth activism and long-term commitment to sustainability.

The initiative operates on a voluntary basis, recognising the need for flexibility alongside other educational or professional commitments.

Key Contributions
and Impact

Since its implementation, the SDG Youth Champions have contributed to Malta’s sustainable development efforts, including:

drafting a dedicated youth chapter titled “Young Persons as Catalysts for Sustainable Change” for Malta’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR), ensuring youth perspectives were reflected in national reporting,
presenting youth contributions at Malta’s National Conference on Sustainable Development,
co-organising youth engagement activities such as the SDG Valletta Challenge,
delivering workshops during the Sustainable Development Multi-Stakeholder Forum,
participating in outreach and public awareness events,
contributing to discussions at the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, representing Maltese youth at international level.